Combination golf tool apparatus

ABSTRACT

A combination golf tool apparatus that includes a case for receiving an adjustable shaft member. The adjustable shaft member including a helical groove for receiving a protrusion disposed within the case that guides and controls the linear positioning of the shaft member within the case. The adjustable shaft member further includes a convex surface opposite a head, the convex surface defines an upper end of a cavity defined within the case. The cavity is for insertion of an upper golf tee portion, such that rotating the shaft member adjustably positions the shaft member in the case thereby defining a distance in the cavity. The head includes a magnet disposed in a recess for receiving a metallic ball marker. The case further includes a divot tool clearance and means for storing a divot tool.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSOREDRESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an adjustable device for setting a golf teeinto a substrate at a controlled height. The device enables a golfer toset a golf tee at an exact height, that can be adjusted in accordancewith the golf club to be used to hit a golf ball. The adjustable devicefurther includes a divot tool as an accessory item as well as a golfball marker retainer.

2. Brief Description of Prior Art

Golf is one of the most widely played sports activities in the UnitedStates, as well as outside the United States. Not only is this activityalready widespread, but the number of golfers continue to grow due topopularity of the sport.

The sport of golf is typically played on a golf course consistingtypically of eighteen (18) holes. A set of golf clubs is used to strikea golf ball in each hole. Each hole has a tee box which defines astarting location of that hole in which a golfer places a golf ball andswings a golf club to strike the ball towards the designated green.Before striking the ball, the golfer often first places a golf tee intothe ground and then places the golf ball on the ball-supporting surfaceof the tee.

It is well known that in hitting a golf ball; the most importantconsiderations for all golfers, regardless of skill level, areconsistency and reproducibility. Each golfer strives to achieve his/herpersonal best through adopting the same stance, same grip, same backswing, and same follow-through each time he/she hits the ball in orderto achieve some level of consistency. Golf tees are often overlooked andmost golfers are not aware of the importance the tee plays in obtaininga consistently good golf game.

An important factor to playing good golf and achieving the desired levelof consistency, is tee height when driving the golf ball from the teebox at the beginning of each hole. More particularly, one key tosuccessful golfing is setting the golf ball on the tee at an exactheight, predetermined in accordance with which golf club will be used tohit the ball. It is desirable to control the height of the tee for eachselected golf club so that it is repeatable each time you select thatclub.

Professional golfers tend to properly set their tees instinctively. Forthe unprofessional golfer, there is no convenient, mechanical apparatusavailable, or known to the trade, to repeatably set a golf tee tocorrespond to a given golf club.

As will be seen from the subsequent description, the preferredembodiments of the present invention overcome shortcomings of the priorart.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the major desires for a golfer is to develop a consistentstriking of the golf ball. Every golfer is aware of the importance ofcertain fundamentals such as proper grip and stance, proper back swingand follow-through in order to develop such consistency.

Golfers spend numerous hours on the practice range hitting golf balls toachieve “muscle memory” in their golf swing, which they hope will carryover to the golf course. Golf tees, and the setting of golf tees, areoften overlooked and most golfers are not aware of the importance thetee plays in obtaining a consistently good golf game. The golfer placesthe golf tee into the ground, generally without giving attention to theexact height of the tee, and then places a golf ball on theball-supporting surface of the golf tee. As a result of not controllingthe height of the tee, the tee may be at one height when teeing off witha particular club, and on later holes a different height when teeing offwith the same club.

The combination golf tool apparatus of the present invention is designedto adjustably set a golf tee into a substrate at a controlled heightrepeatably. As a result, the height of the golf tee is repeatably thesame for the corresponding golf club. The combination golf toolapparatus generally includes a case, a shaft member, a divot tool, and aball marker. The case includes a means for retaining the divot tool, acase reference, a protrusion, and a clearance for receiving the shaftmember. The shaft member generally includes a head, tee heightindicators, a recess, grooves, a magnet, a sloped recess, and a convexsurface to match a golf tee head. The magnet is set in the recess as aprovision for retaining a metallic ball marker. The sloped recessenables a golfer to press on an edge of the golf marker to flip-up themarker for removal from the magnet. The protrusion in the casecommunicates with a helical groove in the shaft member in order tocontrol and guide the shaft member in the case. Positioning of the shaftmember with respect to the case sets the convex surface of the shaftmember within the case so that the convex surface defines an upper endof a cavity within the case for insertion of an upper end of a golf tee.The tee is inserted into a ground surface until the case makes contactwith the ground, the golf tee is set at a fixed repeatable height withrespect to the ground, predetermined by the setting of the shaft memberwithin the case. The helical groove results in a one and one-quarterinch of linear travel per rotation of the shaft member and correlateswith the selected golf clubs namely, the golf club wedge, the numbers 1,2, and 3 woods, and the numbers 4-9 irons. An individual golfer, withpractice, soon learns that a given fractional setting might work betterfor him or her, i.e., instead of the exact setting of the heightindicator on the case reference, a fractional turn as a one-half or aone-quarter setting of the height indicator before or beyond the casereference, as an example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, a combinationgolf tool apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, and illustrates adivot tool and ball marker.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the various embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 7, 7A, 8 and 8A indicate a correlation of height indicators versustee placement.

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate preferred embodiments of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In accordance with the present invention, a combination golf toolapparatus is disclosed. The golf tool apparatus is directed to enablesetting a golf tee into a substrate at a controlled height. Moreparticularly, the golf tool apparatus enables a golfer to set a golf teeat an exact height to correspond to the selected golf club.Specifically, it will be noted in the drawings that the golf toolapparatus relates to an apparatus designed as a convenient means forsetting a golf tee at a selected height for the selected golf club beingused. The golf tool apparatus further includes a divot tool as anaccessory item as well as a golf ball marker and retainer. In thebroadest context, the combination golf tool apparatus of the presentinvention consists of components configured and correlated with respectto each other so as to attain the desired objective.

FIGS. 1-11 illustrate the preferred embodiment of a combination golftool apparatus made in accordance with the present invention. The golftool 1 generally includes a case 2, a shaft member 3, and a divot tool4.

Referring to FIG. 2, the case 2 includes a clearance 2A for receipt ofthe shaft member 3, a divot tool clearance 2B for receipt of the divottool 4, ledges 2C within the clearance 2B to facilitate sliding receiptof the divot tool 4, a protrusion 2D disposed in the clearance 2A, and acase reference 2F (shown in FIG. 1). The ledges 2C in conjunction withthe divot tool clearance 2B serve to contain the divot tool 4. Moreparticularly, the divot tool 4 further includes an edge 4C for slidingengagement along the ledges 2C of the case 2; and further includes anend-catch 4B, and at least one side-catch 4E disposed along the ledges2C of the case 2. The ledges 2C can further include at least one notches2E (shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 9) selectively positioned along the lengthof the ledges 2C in order to receive the side-catch 4E of the divot tool4 in order to releasably lock the divot tool 4 in position. Urging asurface 4A of the divot tool 4 along the case 2 will release theside-catch 4E from the notches 2E. Preferably the catch 4E is integralto the divot tool 4 and can be any type projection sized to be receivedwithin the notches 2E of the case 2. When repairing a divot on the golfcourse, the divot tool 4 can be urged toward the case 2 in order toextend ends 4D of the divot tool 4 from the case 2 sufficiently torepair the turf from which the divot was dislodged by a golfer.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the shaft member includes a base 3I,head 3A at one end, a recess 3B, at least one helical groove 3C, amagnet 3D disposed in the recess 3B, a sloped recess 3F (shown in FIGS.4, 5 and 6), a convex surface 3G opposite the head 3A, and a pluralityof tee height indicators 3H, preferably ten (10) indicators 3H. Thegolfer can releasably place a metallic ball marker 3E on the magnet 3Dfor convenience in carrying the ball marker 3E. As is known in the sportof golf, the ball marker 3E is usable to mark the position of the golfball on a golf course green when the golf ball needs to be removed fromthe green so another golfer can putt. The sloped recess 3F permits thegolfer to press down on an edge of the ball marker 3E for ease of theball marker 3E removal from the magnet 3D.

The at least one groove 3C matches up with the protrusion 2D to guideand control the linear positioning of the shaft member 3 within the case2. In the preferred embodiment, the helical groove 3C includes one andone-quarter inch of linear travel per rotation of the shaft member 3within the case 2 such that the shaft member 3 adjustably penetratesinto the case 2 of the device 1. Each such setting is for adjusting thedepth in which tee 5 is inserted into the ground. The shaft member 3preferably includes 10 settings corresponding to 10 common golf clubvariations including a wedge, woods numbers 1, 2, and 3, and ironsnumbers 4-9.

In application, after a golfer has selected his/her golf club, thegolfer rotates the base 3I of the shaft member 3 within the case 4 untilthe selected golf club number is aligned with the case reference 2F ofthe case 2. As shown in FIGS. 5-8, a cavity “C” can be defined withinthe case 2. The size of the cavity “C” is dependent upon the setting ofthe shaft member 3 in relation to the case 4. For example, as shown inFIG. 7, the majority of the shaft member 3 is positioned within the case4 and the cavity “C” is relatively minimal as opposed to FIG. 8 wherethe shaft member 3 is adjusted outside the case 2 defining a largercavity “C”. Referring to FIG. 4, a common golf tee 5 is inserted in thecavity “C” of the device 1 so that the convex surface 3G of the shaftmember 3 mates with the head portion 5A of the golf tee 5. The golf tee5 is inserted into the ground 100 (shown in FIG. 7) until the case 2 isin contact with the ground. The golf tee 5 is now set at a height withrespect to the ground 100 in accordance with the height settingdetermined by aligning the tee height indicator 3H and the casereference 2F. Arrow “A” in FIGS. 7A and 8A illustrate a correlationbetween golf tee height settings and tee height indicators 2F. It shouldnow be understood that height “A” is approximately equal to the size ordistance of cavity “C” as previously discussed.

An advantage of the device 1 is that it permits repetitive tee settingsat a repeatable given height. This is important for consistent golf ballstriking. If a golfer finds after practice that setting the tee heightindicators 2F slightly different is suitable for his/her clubperformance, this is easily accomplished by setting the tee heightindicator 3H a fractional turn ahead of, or behind, the case referenced2F. Again, an advantage of the device 1 is that it permits repeatablesettings.

Once the golf tee 5 is set within the ground, the device 1 is lifted andremoved from the golf tee 5. A golf ball 6 can then be placed on thehead 5A of the golf tee 5 as is known in the art.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the combination ofat least one helical groove 3C in the shaft member 3 and the protrusion2D in the case 2 work well. An alternate embodiment of threads in boththe case 2 and the shaft member 3 was not as convenient for manualmanipulation of the device 1 in operation.

Except for the magnet 3D, the preferred material of construction of thepresent invention is an injection moldable structural grade plastic. Themagnet 3D can be made of any suitable magnetic material.

Although the description above contains many specificities, these shouldnot be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merelyproviding illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodimentsof this invention.

For example, while the invention is discussed in terms of setting golftees into the ground at predetermined heights, the basic mechanism maywell have other applications, such as setting pins in a substrate, suchas nails in walls for picture hanging, or setting studs at varyingheights, or nails for temporary structures such as concrete forms whereit is undesirable to have the nails driven in completely so as tofacilitate tear down. Currently, this is accomplished with a specialdouble headed nail, which is more expensive than a conventional nail.

Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appendedclaims in the formal application and their legal equivalents, ratherthan by the examples given.

1. A combination golf tool apparatus comprising: a case for receiving anadjustable shaft member, said shaft member including a helical groovethat receives a protrusion disposed within the case in order to guideand control linear positioning of said shaft member, said shaft memberbeing adjustable about a case reference line parallel with alongitudinal axis of said case, said shaft member further including asurface that defines an upper end of a cavity within said case, saidcavity for insertion of an upper golf tee portion, and a head oppositesaid surface, said head including a magnet disposed in a recess forreceiving a metallic ball marker, wherein rotating the shaft memberadjustably penetrates said shaft member in said case thereby defining adistance in said cavity.
 2. The golf tool apparatus as recited in claim1, wherein said case further including a divot tool clearance forstoring a divot tool, said divot tool clearance including a pair ofledges for sliding engagement with a pair of edges of said divot tool.3. The golf tool apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said divottool clearance further includes at least one notches for receipt of acatch disposed along said edges of said divot tool.
 4. The golf toolapparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said helical groove includesone and one-quarter inch of linear travel per rotation of said shaftmember within the case.
 5. The golf tool apparatus as recited in claim1, wherein said head of said shaft member further includes a pluralityof tee height indicators in order to gauge said distance.
 6. Acombination golf tool apparatus comprising: a case for receiving anadjustable shaft member, said shaft member including a helical groovefor receiving a protrusion disposed within said case in order to guideand control linear positioning of said shaft member, said shaft memberfurther including a convex surface opposite a head, said convex surfacedefining an upper end of a cavity defined within said case, said cavityfor insertion of an upper golf tee portion, wherein rotating the shaftmember adjustably penetrates said shaft member in said case therebydefining a distance in said cavity.
 7. The golf tool apparatus asrecited in claim 6, wherein penetrating said shaft member into said casereduces the distance in said cavity and wherein elevating said shaftmember from said case increases the distance in said cavity.
 8. The golftool apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said shaft member beingadjustable about a case reference line parallel with the longitudinalaxis of said case.
 9. The golf tool apparatus as recited in claim 6,wherein said convex surface is adapted to bear against the head of thegolf tee disposed within said cavity.
 10. The golf tool apparatus asrecited in claim 9, wherein said shaft member being rotatable to adjustthe axial position of said convex surface within said cavity forselectively controlling the extent to which the upper portion of saidgolf tee is receivable therein.
 11. The golf tool apparatus as recitedin claim 10, wherein said head including a plurality of tee heightindicators in order to visually select the extent to which the upperportion of said golf tee is receive with in said cavity.
 12. The golftool apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein rotating said headproportionately rotates said helical groove.
 13. The golf tool apparatusas recited in claim 12, wherein said helical groove includes one andone-quarter inch of linear travel per rotation of said head in relationto said case reference line.
 14. The golf tool apparatus as recited inclaim 6, wherein said case further including a divot tool clearance forreceiving a divot tool, said divot tool clearance including a pair ofledges for sliding engagement with edges of said divot tool, and saiddivot tool clearance further including at least one notch for receipt ofa catch disposed along said edge.
 15. The golf tool apparatus as recitedin claim 6, wherein said head of said shaft member including a magnetdisposed in a recess for receiving a metallic ball marker.
 16. Anapparatus for inserting a golf tee into the ground comprising: a bodymember having a chamber, said chamber including a protrusion incommunication with a helical groove of a shaft member, said shaft memberincluding a convex surface that defines an upper end of a cavity definedwithin said body member, said cavity for insertion of an upper golf teeportion, wherein said shaft member being rotatable to adjust the axialposition of said convex surface within said cavity for selectivelycontrolling the extent to which the upper portion of said golf tee isreceived therein.
 17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein saidbody member further including a divot tool clearance for receiving adivot tool, said divot tool clearance including a pair of ledges forsliding engagement with edges of said divot tool, and said divot toolclearance further including at least one notch for receipt of a catchdisposed along said edge.
 18. The apparatus as recited in claim 16,wherein said shaft member includes a head having a magnet disposed in arecess for receiving a metallic ball marker.
 19. The apparatus asrecited in claim 16, wherein said helical groove includes one andone-quarter inch of linear travel per rotation of said shaft member.